New quota scheme criticised

THE latest in a series of countrywide meetings on the new milk quota trading scheme will be held by the Milk Quota Sellers Group at the Firgrove Hotel in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, tonight.

Under the new scheme, 30% of quota offered for sale will be distributed at a maximum price of 12 cent per litre to priority categories.

The group claims this provision is a means of artificially keeping down the price and an attempt to force farmers into selling their quota for “peanuts”. It is urging quota owners not to participate in the scheme.